Masctism
' Masctism '(Noriki: ���� ����������, am´ Masct) ''is a monotheistic religion native to Norik. It is based on the Book of Masct (''Masctkeischer), which states that Masct is the One and Only God, the Man with a Thousand Eyes, and the Creator of the World. Masctism is centered around prayer to Masct, who is seen as being an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent deity who lives in the realm of the spiritual beyond the material world. Masct is not seen as human, but as a formless entity that can appear it any shape He wants. Masctism is one of the world's only theistic religions that does not see their god as being entirely benevolent; Masctists explain the horrors of the world with the fact that Masct, like, man, has good intentions but is inherently flawed. Masct can be vengeful, angry, and displeased, just like any human. However, with prayer to Masct and proper respect to Masctist rituals, Masctists view that any human can achieve salvation in the eyes of Masct and enter ayån, or heaven. Every Masctist is obliged to pray to Masct every night, and on Saturdays they must attend temple. Almost all Masctists live in Norik, and the Noriki national identity is highly based around Masctism. There are nearly four hundred million Masctists living in Norik, and approximately fifty million living outside of Norik. It is the Noriki official state religion, and, although the Noriki constitution guarantees freedom of religion, Masctism is highly intertwined with the Noriki state and government, with politicians frequently mentioning their Masctist conviction and determination to pass laws based on the morals set forth in the Book of Masct. Masctism is generally viewed as a conservative religion, and does not embrace gender equality or the acceptance of different sexualities; many Masctists also view the truth of Masct more important than the truths of the physical world, which has been a barrier to the growth of science and research in Norik. Despite this, there are many movements within Masctism that embrace more modern and egalitarian views, and accept the importance of science and modernization. Sects and Movements The vast majority of Masctists (more than 95%) belong to the Church of Norik, which is often equated with Masctism in its entirety. However, throughout history and - to a lesser extent - today, there have been a number of other sects within Masctism. Ayätha The Ayätha movement is a very small church within Mascism, sometimes referred to as a cult, that believes that the mainstream Church of Norik has become vastly depraved and seeks to obtain spiritual salvation through extreme asceticism. Believing that materialism is a tool of the devil (''Ctain), ''they generally live in conditions of extreme poverty. The Ayätha are opposed to music, literature, and any modification of the body, including shaving or cutting one's hair. Days are to spent in constant prayer, and one should dedicate oneself to a simple life of farming and self-subsistence without becoming involved in capitalist society, which is in itself broken. The Ayätha believe that the vast technological advances and population growth of society in the past several decades are a sign of the triumph of Ctain, and that the end of the world is near. As they are the only ones uncorrupted, they are the only ones that will be saved. Unlike some other proselytizing sects, the Ayätha do not seek to convert others, believing that they are inherently chosen by Masct and there is not enough room in ayån for the rest of the world. Instead, they live in extreme seclusion, generally in rural regions and in their own self-sufficient farm communes, in which they share everything and refute the concept of personal ownership. The Ayätha communes were a point of interest to Amyik von Haast in his study of anarcho-communism, and have been a contentious political issue due to their refusal to participate in Noriki society or pay taxes. The Ayätha movement was founded around 1300 by Dneisek Volun, who believed that the Noly Empire had corrupted the true nature of Masctism. It reached its peak around 1600 with as many as 1,000,000 adherents, at which point Natelysta began cracking down on the sect and instigated mass killings, murdering over 70% of all Ayätha. Today, there are approximately 500,000 members of the church of Ayätha living in around 1,000 farm communes, most of which are located in the more sparsely populated regions of the country such as Godorabn (which contains nearly half of all Ayätha).